HOLYOKE — The city has offered to lease the former Holyoke Geriatric Authority to the county for a substance abuse treatment center and that is among options the county is considering, officials said Monday. (April 13).

Mayor Alex B. Morse likes the idea of having the county lease the former Holyoke Geriatric Authority. He contacted the sheriff's department two months ago and department representatives visited the property but told Morse renovating the site for its needs might be too costly, he said.

"If they can make it work, I support it. But I've been told by them that it doesn't seem feasible. We will continue to work on a (request for proposals) for the property to find a use that generates tax revenue and creates jobs," Morse said.

The Sheriff's Department must vacate the Howard Street site by May 8. If no other location is found, the treatment center will move temporarily to the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow. The Holyoke Geriatric Authority remains a relocation option among several, department spokesman Richard J. McCarthy said.

"It's just a possibility among others," McCarthy said.

The center has treated more than 17,000 inmates for addiction since opening in 1985, officials said.

The Holyoke Geriatric Authority was a nursing home that closed last year after years of financial woes. Established in 1971 by a special act of the state Legislature, the facility was overseen by a board of seven members. Three were appointed by the mayor and three by the City Council, with those six appointing the seventh member.

City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain, who filed the order the council approved last week, remained hopeful a lease deal could be arranged with the county.

"This site would appear as a strong possibility and to make a lot of sense if there is public support for such a program as well as support from the Holyoke Police Department. This program has been highly acclaimed and would appear to be an asset to the community financially as well serving an important need for alcohol and drug treatment," Jourdain said, in the order filed at the April 7 meeting.

Holyoke Police Chief James M. Neiswanger said he would support the treatment center moving here if the city could secure a long-term lease that would off-set city expenses.

Neighbors might be unhappy with such a facility moving in, said Neiswanger, but Sheriff Michael J. Ashe has been a great partner in many initiatives and, "I have to imagine that would continue and he would do all that he could to minimize the impact on the neighborhood."

Neighbors had mixed reactions in 2013 when Gandara Center, of West Springfield, began leasing space at the authority for a detention facility for low-risk males awaiting court dates. Some were critical that they weren't notified such a facility would be moving in while others praised Gandara and said such a facility to help young males was needed.